(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for impeding the motion of a land vehicle.
(2) Description of the Related Art
The military and police officials are at times required to stop a moving land vehicle. For example, the military may be called on to stop a truck laden with explosives. The police may be called on to stop a speeding car containing suspected criminals. It is desirable that the occupants of these vehicles, that may include hostages, not be injured by immobilization of the vehicle. Therefore, immobilization by conventional methods such as road blocks using other vehicles and tire puncturing it not acceptable.
Devices to stop a moving land vehicle without injury to the occupants are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,507 to Terio et al. and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,282 to Waldecker. The Terio et al. patent discloses a pair of I-beams disposed on opposing sides of a roadway supported in an underground enclosure. Cables supported by shock absorbers extend between the I-beams. When the barrier is actuated, the I-beams rise from the underground enclosure, extending the cables across the roadway. The Waldecker patent discloses a plurality of fabric cylinders disposed in a trench extending across a roadway. A net is supported on one side of these cylinders. When actuated, gas generators fill the cylinders causing them to rise and form a barrier across the roadway. Impact with the gas-filled cylinders serve as a primary braking means to impede the land vehicle. The net forms a secondary braking means.